Improvement in rotating valves for steam-engines



I. PETERS, PHOTOl-VNOGRAPHER. WASHINGTONy D. C.

e i UNITED y STATES PATENT OFFICE@i WV. B. GREEFLEAF, OF SILVER GREEK, NE YORK.

IMPROVEMENT'IN ROTATING VALVES Foa STEAM-ENGINES.

Specifica-tion forming part of Letters Patent No. 41,639, dated February 23, 1864.

To all whom it may concern.- Y

Be it known that I, W. R. GREENLEAF, of Silver Greek, county of Chautauqua, State of NewYork, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Valve-Chests and Valves for Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description'thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making 'a part of this specification, in which- ,l

e Figure l is a horizontal section through the improved steam chest and valves arranged for a horizontal engine. Fig. 2 is a vertical sect-ion takenlongitudinallythrough the same. Fig. 3, Sheet- 2, is a side elevation showing the connecting-rod, arms, and ad justin g-rod foratiusting the valves. n Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a top view ofthe adjusting devices oi'Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the oscillating valves. Fig. 6 is a side view ofthe same. Fig. 7 is a view ofthe surface otone ofthe valves, seen as if unrolled or spread out on a plane.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre-l sponding parts in the several figures.

This invention has for its object the construction of a steam-chest and the valves thereof in such manner that the steam entering at one side of the steam-chest will be alternately admitted through one end of each Valve into the steam-cylinder and alternately allowed to escape through the opposite ends of said valves, into the exhaust-chamber, as the valves are oscillated.

It also has for its object so constructing the steam-chambers that the valves and 'their surrounding walls will be caused to expand equally and prevented from becoming tight in consequence of unequal exposure to the steam.

It finally has for its object a mode of adjusting all the valves simultaneously,whether the engine be running or at rest, all as will be hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the outer casing of the steamchest, and B B represent two hollow shells, which are constructed with circular steam-induction passages a a a b b b, all of which communicate with their respective ports C C', and also with the central converging circular valve-chambers, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The induction port D admits steam into the chamberfD, which partially surrounds the valve-shells B B', and the steam, after escaping' from the valves, enters the chamber E and escapes through the eduction or exhaust orifice E', as indicated by the course of the red arrows in Fig. l.

F F are circular conical valves, each have, which open at the yend toward the cham-v ber E and are closed, at the opposite end.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7, I have shown the form and construction ofthe oscillating valves more clearly. It will be seen by these figures thaty the valves are circular, ltransversely, and ta` pering from one end (induction end) towardV the other, and that longitudinal converging slots or steam-passages are made in its circumference. These passages are made at regular intervals apart, and receive the steam at one end of the valve and discharge it at the other end, in the manner above described.

flhe valves being made tapering from their induction ends to their exhaust ends, they are iitted steam-tight within chambers of a corresponding shape, so that by their oscillation in-said chambers they will alternately form communications with the cylinder and induction-chamber D', and with the cylinder and eduction-chamber E, the live steam entering at one end ot' each valve, passing down into the cylinder, and the exhaust-steam escaping at the opposite end of the valve.

G G are set-screws, which are tapped through the .ends of their respective spindleboxes I I, so as to abut against the ends of the valve-spindles or stems, J J `These setscrews are formed with'nut enlargements h h on them,outside of which the screw is continued for a short distance for the purpose of receiving the crank-arms -i 11, which are confined in place by means of the pinch-nuts j j, as shown in Figs. l, 3, and 4. Thelower ends of the short crank-arms 1J t" are connected together by a rod, k, which causes both arms, a-nd, consequently, both valves to move together.

-simultaneously.

Any greater number of valves may all be adjusted at once, and reta-ined in their adjusted position by this arrangement or mode of connecting them together.

The valve-rods J J' project through stuffingboxes N N', on one side ot' the steam-chest, and receive crank-arms and a connecting-rod, one of the former of which receives the end of the eccentric driving-rod. l have not represented these parts in the drawings for the reason that they form no part of my invention, and that the common connections with the main shaft of the engine may be made for giving the valves an oscillating motion.

This invention may be applied to cylindrical valves as Well as to those having the shape of the frustum of a cone, and the invention may also be used, by a slight change of the parts, for either distribution, cutoff', throttles, or governors, or for any other purpose for which a steam-valve is required.

Some of the advantagrs of this valve are: First, it can be made solid and be supported on a shaft, and is relieved ot' the difiiculty which has been fatal to other nearlybalanced valves-viz., in equality of expansion 5 second, being as perfectly balanced as practicable, lit is almost frictionless 5 third, for the same reason it will not wear itselt' out ot' face orbecome leaky by use; fourth, having three or more steam-Ways or ports opening simultaneously, any desired area of opening can be obtained, and as early in the stroke as desired, With a simple eccentric movement; iifth, the steam and exhaust Ways, each being alternately open at one end and closedat the other, the eontrivance is adapted to both induction and eduction in one valve.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Gonstructin g an oscillating valve,with induction and eduction passages, so arranged around its periphery that the steam Willenter at one end and exhaust at the opposite end ot each. valve, substantially as described.

2. A tapering or conical valve having induction and eduction passages arranged around its periphery, which are alternately opened at opposite ends of the valve, subvstantially as described.

3. The combination of end-receivin g and end' discharging valves,with their shells B B', constructed With circular induction and eduction passages a a a b b b, substantially as any for the purposes described.

4. The arrangement, consisting of the valves F F', screws G G, arms i, z', connecting-rod 7c, andhandle or lever L, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

YV. R. GREE NLEAF.

Witnesses MARK MONTGOMERY, CEAS. H. LEE. 

